A candidate

Today I went to see a 1995 Land Rover Discovery, Diesel, 5 speed manual, with 180,000 km, that was advertised as having a bad engine.

Upon arrival I was told the engine had been repaired, but it did not sound particularly healthy to me.

I discovered plenty of rust.

After some thought, I made an email offer of $2750. After a week the offer was accepted.

So it begins....

It occurred to me that I could convert a car to be powered by electricity, and thus avoid the inconvenience of a 'real' job. A classic case of pick your poison, as converting a car has its own world of challenges.
First up, choosing a vehicle to convert. In Mozmabique, where I live, cars do not depreciate as quickly as they do in the US. As an example, a 15 year old Nissan Frontier 4x4 is offered at $14,000. Finding a low cost victim will take patience.
What other characteristics should the vehicle have? I want a frame, not unibody, to weld and mount to without too much worry. It needs to be able to transport 5 comfortably, and it should be common enough to have parts available.